1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a ball joint arrangement, in particular for articulatedly connecting gas springs to associated implement parts, having a ball head which is pivotably mounted in a closed hemispherical ball socket which is formed in a socket housing. The ball socket leads outwards via an insertion opening and has, in the region aligned towards the insertion opening, a plurality of pivotable retaining tongues which project freely towards the insertion region, are spaced apart from one another in the peripheral direction and engage over the ball head over its equator, with a journal which is arranged on the ball head and has a smaller diameter than the ball head projecting through the insertion opening. An annular outer part has a receiving opening into which the socket housing can be inserted in the insertion direction over an insertion path into an installed position. The socket housing, in the installed position, can be locked by means of a locking device so as to prevent a movement counter to the insertion direction, and the retaining tongues which bear against the ball head are in contact at their outer periphery against the receiving opening which encloses them.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a ball joint arrangement of this type, it is known to form the receiving opening with a cross-sectional contour which is constant all the way through, so that the retaining tongues are held in their closed installed position already at the beginning of the insertion of the socket housing into the receiving opening.